It was the day Nam Gaeun was scheduled to challenge Black Tower (Korea) Floor 63.

Jeon Gwangil ran early that morning to an item-crafting workshop located on the outskirts of Seoul.

He met a master smith who’d devoted his entire life to blacksmithing.

“Sir, is the repair finished?”

“The sword’s material was orichalcon. There was plenty of orichalcon, so repairing it wasn’t a problem, but...”

“Is there some issue?”

“It was an old sword from the start, with chips missing here and there. A lot of the patterns have been worn off, so I can’t verify ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) the original. Because of that, I couldn’t fix the pre-existing damage.”

“Then what about the damaged parts that were newly created while Player Nam Gaeun used it?”

“Those, I repaired completely.”

“Ah! That’s great. Then there’s no problem.”

The damage that already existed when the item was obtained—there was nothing to be done about that.

But newly created damage could be repaired.

Even so, wasn’t that something?

He also didn’t forget to transfer the rental fee to Bong Juhyeok.

The first rental was free, but this was the second rental now.

‘I should transfer 1 billion won.’

In this urgent, critical situation, was 1 billion even money?

Also, it was a benefit only the Republic of Korea got.

When they rented it out to other countries, they would charge at least ten times more than this.

Jeon Gwangil hurried to the Tower Player Awakening Administration with the repaired sword.

In the Administration’s large auditorium, every employee had gathered.

To Nam Gaeun—who was already geared up and waiting among the staff—he said,

“Here it is.”

“The repairs are done?”

“Not completely. It’s just that...”

Jeon Gwangil told her what the master smith had said.

“Aha! If it’s the same as before, that’s fine. I’ll have to be really careful with it.”

“Are you really going to clear it today?” 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“I told you. If I can just endure the dark aura, skeletons are nothing but bones.”

After meticulously checking that the bodycam clipped to her chest was working properly, she said,

“I’m off to Floor 63.”

“I wish you the best.”

“Let’s all keep it up—strength!”

The Administration staff cheered her on, too.

“Fighting! Nam Gaeun!”

“Come back safe!”

“I’ll hold my breath and wait until you’re back.”

“Go show them how scary a gym rat is.”

Waving to each of them one by one—

“See you later.”

Spot!

Nam Gaeun vanished.

The Administration staff didn’t move a single inch from where they stood.

Would it really go the way they hoped?

And then, about two hours later—

Again.

Spot!

She appeared.

“W-what happened?”

Nam Gaeun beamed and made a V-sign with her hand.

“Clear successful!”

And then—

“Woooooooo!!!”

A roar of cheers thundered through the Administration like it might tear the building apart.

As if the bridge of her nose stung, Nam Gaeun rubbed her nose with her hand and twisted her body around for no reason.

She knew, too.

That it wasn’t because she was just that amazing.

‘Player Bong... thank you so much.’

If she hadn’t had the holy sword item he gave her?

It would have been Tower Collapse for sure.

‘I should get him a present.’

A rental fee was a rental fee, and a present was a present.

What did men like?

Jeon Gwangil was overwhelmed as well.

With the holy sword, they could reach Floor 66—no, even Floor 67—without issue.

Then what about Floor 68?

By then, it would be time for Bong Juhyeok to climb into the 60s.

He was even more reassuring than the holy sword.

“Player Nam Gaeun, please give me the bodycam.”

“You’re going to release it right away, too?”

“We have to calm the public’s anxiety.”

“Yes!”

The board had flipped completely.

*****

I’d rested for a long time.

Honestly, clearing Floor 28 had been too easy.

Even Cossack had gotten to the point where he just stood by and watched me rampage.

Floor 30 was the floor where the boss was a twin-head troll.

Would it be a little fun?

‘How many should I kill?’

Thinking about it, there was something good about Gyeon Dallae being here.

Because Cossack couldn’t move a muscle.

If he tried to scold me with, “Summoner Bong, don’t move an inch!”

Maybe she’d snap back with, “You bastard! How dare you have no manners!” and rain thunder down on him.

‘I should read the room and kill at least ten, then.’

[Entering Black Tower (Republic of Korea) Floor 30.]

I pulled out my mace and shield, activated my Energy Barrier, loosened up with some stretches, and while I was doing that I stole a glance at Gyeon Dallae—

A fragile, slender girl standing beside me.

Her expression looked firm, but what kind of abilities would she show?

“Alright! You’re ready, right?”

“ATTENTION! It’s been a while since I’ve come out to fight, so my strength feels different all on its own. Please watch me! I’ll sweep them clean.”

“I’ll do everything. Even if it kills me, I’ll protect the Summoner.”

Then—

“Ho. I thought you were lowborn trash with no manners, but your minds are properly set.”

“Hehe. Th-that so...?”

“You must do your utmost. If Master Bong is ever disappointed, you will be struck by divine punishment.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Seriously.

What is that expression?

The kind of expression you make when you’re pleased because you got praised by another SSR.

A stone that rolled in and pushed out the stone that was already there.

Meatshield led the way.

Cossack followed behind.

Gyeon Dallae also stepped forward with light, delicate steps.

[Floor 30 Mission: Kill 80 trolls of any type and 1 twin-head troll.]

[Time Limit: Within 13 hours.]

[Completion Condition: All types of trolls 0/80, twin-head troll 0/1]

The moment the mission appeared—

Trolls started revealing themselves, one or two at a time.

But then?

‘Huh?’

Gyeon Dallae’s behavior was strange.

She reached into the wide sleeve of her robe and pulled something out—

‘...A portable speaker?’

She even had a USB stick.

A speaker that plays music if you plug a USB in.

Why would a shamaness have that?

When I stared at her with curious eyes—

“I am ashamed to say it. Originally, there should be a master who strikes the drum for me, but this girl travels alone, so in desperation I prepared this.”

“Uh... sure.”

I didn’t know where she got it, or why she needed it.

But anyway, the clear began.

“Wooooo!”

Meatshield charged out with a roar.

Cossack moved with a fluid Shadow Step.

And Gyeon Dallae?

That was when—

Doom! Doom! D-doom! Doom-doom!

Drumbeats blared from the speaker.

In time with it, Gyeon Dallae shook her bells.

Jinglejinglejingle...

A strange harmony of drumbeats and bell chimes.

Bzzzt!

A blade’s sound joined the harmony, too.

Turns out, the blade in her hand wasn’t for killing monsters—it was for making a sound.

“With heaven and earth’s divine spirits blessing Master Bong, you wicked things—fall back at once!”

“...”

So that’s why she needed the speaker.

Out of nowhere, inside the Black Tower... she was holding a shamanic rite?

In an instant—

Fwoooosh!

The bronze mirror hanging at her neck lit up like an LED bulb.

A warm wave of energy rippled outward.

“Ah!”

Mana surged through my whole body.

Strength swelled up in my muscles.

My senses sharpened.

‘This is...’

A buff.

One that raised the party’s stats.

It wasn’t just me who got hit by it.

Meatshield’s body grew even bigger.

At the same time, his skin turned dark.

The trolls slashed at him with sharp claws—

But when their claws raked across his skin—

KRAANG!

A metallic clang rang out, and the trolls’ claws snapped instead.

Cossack went wild, too.

The blade energy from his daggers grew longer and thicker, and his Shadow Step became so fast my eyes couldn’t even follow it—he flashed around, carving like a madman.

“This is insane! This is killer! I’m gonna lose it!”

The trolls were affected by the drumbeats and bell chimes, too.

But not with a positive effect.

The opposite.

Exposed to the mirror’s light and the blade and the bells, the trolls visibly slowed down.

They looked plainly flustered—

And even their regeneration, which you could call their strongest ability, vanished.

Now they were trolls that weren’t even as good as orcs.

They got torn apart by Meatshield and cut down by Cossack.

The drumbeats sped up.

And along with them, the bell chimes—

Doomdoomdoomdoom! Doomdoomdoomdoom!

Chrrrr! Chrrrr!

Bzzzt! Bzzzt!

A frenzied driving rhythm that hammered without pause.

My body moved on its own, riding the beat.

At last, my chest swelled huge.

Fighting spirit bubbling up, exhilaration ballooning, confidence filling me up—like I could do anything.

Trolls?

Cracking their skulls would be a joke.

A real man is coming through.

I’ll kill them all!

So I grabbed my weapon and was just about to charge out—

Grab!

A hand seized the collar of my clothes from behind.

‘What?’

Gyeon Dallae shook her head side to side.

“It would be best to leave the fighting to those beneath you. Master should simply watch in comfort.”

Huh?

This is giving me a bad feeling.

“Uh... I’m just going to kill a few and come back.”

“A gentleman does not run even if it rains. How could you stand shoulder to shoulder with such lowly things?”

“I’m lowly too, you know? I’m a weak man. A weak man.”

“That is utterly, completely not true. You are such a pure and righteous Master—humble words become unseemly when they go too far.”

There wasn’t time for this.

At this rate, Cossack and Meatshield would kill everything.

I tried to put strength into my arm and shake her off—

But—

Squeeze!

She didn’t let go of my collar.

“Ha... I’ll just kill one.”

“Master’s safety is the most important thing.”

This is suffocating.

The kill count was going up.

And the girl was physically stopping me.

So in the end—

“It’s an order. Let go of my collar. Now.”

When I spoke in a deliberately firm voice—

“N-no, you must not.”

“I’ve already decided. I’m going, so whether you scold me or not, do whatever you want.”

“A-ah, n-no...”

All of a sudden, Gyeon Dallae’s face went pale.

And then, finally—

“Uuuh...”

Huh?

‘She’s crying?’

Tears welled up in her huge eyes.

‘Why...?’

I panicked hard.

Just a little while ago, she’d been snapping at me for slurping ramen loudly.

‘Is she acting?’

It didn’t look like it.

The tears were actually falling, drop after drop.

Was this what happened when absolute obedience and Summoned Principles, Article Three collided?

Still, an SSR crying like this was too much, wasn’t it?

In that moment—

My eyes met Gyeon Dallae’s.

And I realized at the same time.

The sorrow and fear swimming in her pupils.

‘...Damn it.’

Stupidly—

How did I not realize?

A summoned entity wasn’t a “summon” you judged by rank.

They were people.

Real humans with emotions and reason.

Did the Catalog’s background descriptions exist for nothing?

If they were just summons, why would they need a background at all?

Cossack died trying to assassinate a swordmaster.

Meatshield—dull barbarian Meatshield—even if he’d been tricked into it, died bravely fighting a super monster hydra.

Both of them died after fighting hard.

Regret about life?

They didn’t seem to have any of that.

But what about Gyeon Dallae?

After losing her father, betrayed by the uncle she trusted, even her young sibling killed—when she sent a killing curse for revenge knowing she would die, how did she feel?

She must have been afraid.

She must have been lonely.

She must have been despairing.

Even after death, she must have been like that.

She wasn’t a strong girl.

She was weak—painfully weak.

She just acted strong to hide how weak she was.

A chihuahua that barks a lot because it’s weak.

She reminded me of my little brother Minhyeok.

He used to be like that a lot when he was younger—

“Are you scared I’ll die?”

“Th-that is so.”

“Should I not go?”

Nodnod.

“Then I won’t go. Don’t worry.”

“I am deeply grateful.”

What did killing one or two monsters matter?

I was a weak man anyway.

The buff made me mistake myself for a real man for a moment.

I should go back to my true self.

The fight ended quickly.

Faster than when we killed the Orc Great Chieftain.

The twin-head troll died the moment it appeared.

Meatshield tore off one head, and Cossack cut off the other.

The moment the mission success message appeared—

Cossack came running over, panting.

He whispered in my ear.

“Why’s the princess cryin’?”

“...Stuff happened.”

“Did Summoner Bong scold her ’cause she was rude to me earlier?”

“As if. And Cossack, you did something worth getting scolded for, so why are you dragging me into it?”

“I’m hurt. I’m gonna cry too.”

“Cry or don’t.”

That was when—

“You!!! How dare you approach Master with a body stained in monster filth! Step back at once. Shoo, shoo!”

“...Yes, yes. Got it.”

Heh.

Now that yelling doesn’t faze me at all.

Anyway, I should treat her well.

So she could be happy here, at least.

But at the same time—

Cossack and Gyeon Dallae both kept trying, no matter what, to stop me from ever being in danger.

The effort was heartbreaking. Heartbreaking.

And for the first time in a while—

A Global Notice rang out to every Player in the Republic of Korea.

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ for Black Tower (Korea) Floor 30.]

[S++ Clear Reward: You are awarded a Platinum Badge.]

So, that’s 30 badges accumulated.

What would the next perk be?

*****

Commissioner Park Kyungsoo’s surprise declaration in the middle of the National Assembly Audit.

Black Tower (Korea) Floor 62 cleared, Floor 63 announced for the very next day, and on top of that, Floor 66 would be cleared within a month.

It was an explosive reaction—enough to bury Yoo Cheolmin’s naturalization.

All day long, TV played footage of Nam Gaeun clearing Floor 62.

She looked like she was wielding an enormous sword that seemed very old, cutting zombies down, and a faint radiance was driving away the dark aura.

└ Zombies are like paper dolls? Holy power—this is on another level from light-attribute.

└ The clear time is insanely fast. This looks like it’s faked.

└ Why would they even?

└ Public opinion is at rock bottom, so they might be trying to dodge it any way they can—make a video and pull a stunt.

└ You think they’d lie when it’ll obviously get exposed? Do you think the Administration is stupid?

└ Right. Even if you don’t trust the Administration, I trust Player Nam Gaeun. You don’t know how good her reputation is, do you?

└ Anyway, it’s today. The Floor 63 result—once we see that, we’ll know.

The people were tense.

Soon, they would know.

Would Nam Gaeun really manage consecutive clears of Floor 63?

And then—

Breaking news blasted out all at once.

<Breaking: Floor 63 skeleton mission cleared!>

<The holy sword’s power revealed vividly in the clear footage—it was the undead’s natural enemy.>

<Player Nam Gaeun’s movements also stood out—she swung the greatsword freely and with ease>

<She had promise from the start. People say her talent alone surpasses Yoo Cheolmin’s>

<Floor 64 dark ghoul announced for three days later—confident. She will do it.>

<Floor 66? At this rate, it might not even take a month.>

└ It’s up!!!

└ Shout it! Floor 66!

└ Everyone who said it was faked, get out here!

└ It only took two hours.

└ I remember watching the U.S. clear footage. Didn’t that take seven hours?

└ The holy sword was a broken item.

└ Yoo Cheolmin, you piece of shit—look at you now. If you’d just stayed put, you could’ve taken that sword and cleared Floor 66.

It was a truly explosive reaction.

Every internet board in the Republic of Korea turned into a festival.

Short-video social media, YouTube Shorts, Deals, TipTok—Nam Gaeun’s Floor 62 and Floor 63 footage began getting cut down into one-minute edits and circulating everywhere.

And then, the final flourish.

A message that only rang out to Players with Korean nationality.

[Notice: You have achieved Clear Rank S++ for Black Tower (Korea) Floor 30.]

└ Huh?

└ Holy...

└ This is insane!

└ What is it, what is it?

└ A global notice for the first time in forever.

└ W-wait, if it’s a global notice, then...?

└ A Floor 30 S++ clear record.

└ Wow. This is basically a lethal dose of national pride.

Nam Gaeun’s two-hour clear of Floor 63 was already a huge shot of catharsis.

But on top of that—

Nobody knew who it was, but

it was definitely a Korean Player—

an S++ clear record on Floor 30 got thrown in.

How could the national-pride addicts possibly survive that?

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